Fresh and dried herbs are not interchangeable one-for-one — drying concentrates flavor. The rule of thumb is three parts fresh to one part dried. Some herbs also simply work better dried than others.
| Herb | Dries well? |
|---|---|
| Oregano | Yes, excellent |
| Thyme | Yes |
| Rosemary | Yes |
| Bay leaf | Yes (almost always dried) |
| Sage | Yes |
| Basil | Fair — loses aroma |
| Parsley | Poor — weak dried |
| Cilantro | Poor |
| Chives | Poor |
The 3-to-1 rule: 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herb equals about 1 teaspoon dried. Add dried herbs early so they rehydrate; stir fresh herbs in near the end to keep their aroma.
FAQ
Why is the fresh-to-dried herb conversion usually 3:1? Drying concentrates an herb’s flavor compounds as water evaporates, so a smaller quantity of dried herb delivers similar flavor intensity to a larger quantity of fresh herb, which is why most substitution charts use roughly one part dried to three parts fresh.
See the Spice Conversion Chart for whole-to-ground spices.